Renzi continues Washington trip after Obama endorsement

Premier says Obama, Michelle 'Renaissance masters'

19 Ottobre 2016

Washington DC, October 19 - Italian Premier Matteo
Renzi is set to speak at Johns Hopkins University Wednesday at
16:00 Italian time, on what is his last day of an official visit
to the American capital.
An hour later, the premier is scheduled to visit Arlington
National Cemetery where the dead of American military conflicts
have been buried, beginning with the American Civil War.
Renzi met with United States President Barack Obama,
followed by a joint press conference and a state dinner at the
White House on Tuesday.
In a toast to the presidential couple, Renzi compared Obama
and First Lady Michelle Obama to Renaissance masters working to
improve the world.
"I've been a fan of Obama's ever since his first speech in
Illinois in 2007," Renzi said. "Having listened to Michelle's
speeches during the (2016 presidential) campaign, I have found
someone on the same level.
"I think your speeches are even better than your tomatoes,"
he quipped, turning to the American first lady, who yesterday
gave her Italian counterpart, Agnese Landini, a tour of the
White House Kitchen Garden she planted in the spring of
2009 with the help of local elementary schoolchildren.
Italy and the US "share food and wine at the table, much as
they share the same values," Renzi said at the gala dinner for
400 by American celebrity chef Mario Batali, followed by a
performance by pop star Gwen Stefani.
Earlier on Tuesday, Obama threw his hat in the ring in
favor of a 'Yes' vote in a December 4 referendum on Renzi's
hotly debated constitutional reform law.
A 'Yes' victory could help Italy, Obama told reporters at a
press conference after meeting with Renzi at the White House.
The American president added he is "rooting for" Renzi, and
said Italy's young reformist premier should remain in politics
no matter what the outcome of the referendum.
The two leaders heaped praise upon one another, with Obama
hailing Renzi's leadership qualities and Renzi calling the US
a model of economic growth policies.
"Matteo represents a new generation of leaders not only in
Italy but in the EU and the world," said Obama, warning that if
Europe fails to shift away from austerity towards more expansive
economic policies its fragility will return with negative
impacts on the U.S. and the globe.
"The US are a model and I think Europe can and must do
more," Renzi said. "Italy considers the American example as a
point of reference in the battle (against austerity)".
"If we win the December referendum it will be easier for
Italy to carry on the battle to change the EU," he explained.
"If we win... things will be more simple for Italy, and the
battle to change Europe will be easier," Renzi said. "We respect
European rules, albeit a bit unwillingly at times - we would
like them to be different, but we will respect them until they
change".
"I don't think there will be any cataclysms if the 'No'
vote wins," he added.
Obama chimed in, saying "Matteo is right" in stating Italy
has kept its word in the EU and carried out structural reforms
as requested, and now Europe must do its part to stoke growth
and create jobs faster than it is at present.
On the international front, Obama thanked Italy for its
"key role" in the international coalition to fight the so-called
Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group and for its diplomacy in
Libya.
The American president also said "our thoughts are with"
the stricken population of the town of Amatrice, which was razed
to the ground by a devastating August 24 earthquake in central
Italy that claimed 298 lives, left thousands homeless, and
caused billions in damage.
As well, Obama hailed Italy for saving "hundreds of
thousands of lives" in the Mediterranean, where its southernmost
islands are the first landfall for asylum seekers fleeing wars
and persecution in Africa and the Middle East.
Italy is haggling with the EU for flexibility on its 2017
budget due to exceptional spending on quake relief and
reconstruction as well as the cost of asylum seeker rescue,
identification, processing, and hosting.